Xiaodong Ma: Senior Industrial Designer and Visual Artist
Senior Industrial Designer and Visual Artist
by Elizabeth Lavis
|07 Nov 2025
Officially, Xiaodong Ma is a Senior Industrial Designer and Visual Artist, but unofficially, he’s a maker, thinker, and dreamer who believes in the power of embracing curiosity and staying open-minded. “Design is as much about asking the right questions as it is about finding solutions,” Ma says. “Don’t be afraid to explore different disciplines, whether it’s art, engineering, or psychology. Each field has something valuable to teach you about how people interact with design.”
Ma is driven by the desire to understand and explore human connections and how people interact with objects, spaces, and each other. “This curiosity pushes me to explore the stories and cultures that shape our perceptions, which I often integrate into my work as a way to bridge art, design, and storytelling,” he says. “I am also passionate about sustainability and how design can contribute to more responsible consumption.”
Ma was born in Nanjing, China, but now lives in Chicago. “Growing up in Nanjing, a city rich in historical and cultural legacy, sparked my fascination with the fusion of old and new and traditional and modernity,” he says. “This exploration of balance and contrast is central to my work and has allowed me to develop a unique visual language that resonates with audiences globally. My practice aims to bridge these worlds.”
While his design style is uniquely his own, he can draw some parallels to the work of other creators who explored similar themes of duality, transformation, and simplicity. “For instance, I find similarities with Isamu Noguchi, the American sculptor and designer,” Ma says. “Like Noguchi, I aim to merge art and design, finding harmony between organic forms and minimalist expression.”
"BABYPOOPS", Xiaodong Ma
Ma’s design approach starts with understanding the objective or problem through user research and empathy, then he begins the ideation phase where he freely explores ideas with sketches and mind maps, refinding concepts while balancing form and function before experimenting with materials and techniques to refine the design. “For testing, I gather feedback from stakeholders to make improvements,” he says. “Once validated, I finalize details and create technical documentation, ensuring the design is clear for execution.”
Ma believes the key to balancing strategy and creativity through the process is to start by defining clear project goals that will guide creative exploration. “For me, the most important aspect of a design is its ability to connect emotionally while serving a clear purpose,” Ma says. “A successful design should not only fulfill its functional requirements, but also evoke a sense of meaning or reflection in its audience. This balance of practicality and emotional resonance is what truly makes design impactful.”
For Ma, the best thing about his work is that he can blend creativity with purpose. “I enjoy transforming ideas into tangible designs that not only solve problems, but also evoke emotions and spark conversations,” he says. “The combination of artistic expression and meaningful impact is what keeps me passionate and motivated.”
Ma plans to continue exploring the intersection of art and design and pushing the boundaries of sustainability and innovation. “I aim ot expand my work internationally, collaborate with diverse creative communities, and contribute to impactful projects that blend functionality with cultural and social narratives,” he says.
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